Braves, Giants ready for key weekend set

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08/05/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - July was a pretty good month for San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey. August hasn't been so bad either.

The Georgia-born Posey returns to his home state tonight hoping to help San Francisco to a fifth victory in six games as the team opens a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves in a battle of playoff hopefuls at Turner Field.

The 23-year-old Posey was named the National League's Player of the Month on Wednesday after hitting .417 with seven homers and 24 RBI in July, a month that also included a near Giants rookie-record 21-game hitting streak. He is 4-for-11 in three games so far this month, adding a double and three RBI.

Posey drove in the lone run in Wednesday's 6-1 setback to Colorado, but left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit on the shoulder by a foul ball. He isn't expected to miss tonight's game, his first in Atlanta since being drafted fifth overall in 2008.

San Francisco's loss to Colorado snapped a four-game winning streak and kept the National League Wild Card leaders a game back of San Diego for first place in the NL West.

"This is a hard place to play. Everybody who comes in will tell you that," said Giants manager Bruce Bochy of Coors Field. "You get the first [game] and want to get the second but you come up against a well-pitched game. But we're playing well in our division and can't get too down."

San Francisco has to feel good about its chances tonight versus the Braves, seeing as Tim Lincecum is the scheduled starter. The reigning two-time NL Cy Young Award winner is 6-1 with a 2.70 earned run average in his career versus Atlanta, which he beat on April 11 after allowing just two runs with 10 strikeouts over seven innings.

The 26-year-old righty is 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA over his last five starts since a personal two-game slide and used a new delivery on Friday to beat the Dodgers. Lincecum pitched seven innings of two-run ball and struck out nine that day. His new windup featured him bringing his hands higher up over his head before executing the pitch.

"Just so I could stay over my back foot longer," he told the Giants' website, "Lately I've had a tougher timing issue in my windup. [I wanted to] mess around with a little twerk. I guess for me it's a big twerk."

For the season, Lincecum is 11-4 with a 3.10 ERA.

His counterpart, Jair Jurrjens, will aim to remain undefeated at home this year for the Braves, as he is 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in five starts at Turner Field.

The right-hander went 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA in his first three starts back from a two-month stint on the disabled list, but he has allowed nine runs over his last two starts. Five of those over 6 2/3 innings came in a loss at Cincinnati on Saturday.

Jurrjens, 24, is 3-4 with a 4.62 ERA on the season and 1-2 with a 2.61 ERA in three career starts against the Giants.

Atlanta upped its MLB-leading home record to 36-14 after taking two of three over the New York Mets this week. Atlanta capped that set with Wednesday's 8-3 triumph.

Brian McCann and Chipper Jones homered in the same game for the Braves for the first since June 8, 2009, and both ended with three hits. Melky Cabrera also went deep in a victory that helped the Braves stay two games up on Philadelphia for first place in the NL East.

Atlanta relievers combined to allow just one unearned run over 4 2/3 innings after starter Kris Medlen left in the fifth inning due to an injured ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow that could lead to Tommy John surgery.

"There's no real news yet, the elbow hurts," Medlen said after the game. "They are calling it a strained ligament, as of right now, I'll have an MRI and you don't know until the MRI. It was just that pitch, felt a little tightness in my elbow and kind of like a strain. We'll see [Thursday]."

The Giants took two of three at home from the Braves in April and have won eight of the last 12 meetings, though it did lose three of four at Turner Field a season ago.

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ODDS TO WIN THE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Notre Dame
Ohio State
West Virginia
Texas
USC
Florida
California
Auburn
Oklahoma
Iowa
Louisville
Florida State
Michigan
Miami (FL)
LSU
Penn State
Virginia Tech
Nebraska
Tennessee
Georgia
Arizona State
Oregon
Clemson
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
Alabama
Arkansas
Boston College
Michigan State
Maryland
South Carolina
Colorado
Purdue
Georgia Tech
TCU
UCLA
Arizona
Pittsburgh
Iowa State
Wisconsin
North Carolina State
Virginia
North Carolina
Fresno State
Hawaii
Northwestern
BYU
Oregon State
UNLV
Field (Any Other Team)
5-1
7-1
8-1
8-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
18-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
25-1
40-1
40-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
70-1
70-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
150-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
250-1
250-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
400-1
500-1
500-1
500-1
500-1
1000-1
1000-1
40-1



ODDS TO WIN ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Miami (FL)
Florida State
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Boston College
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina State
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Duke
2-1
2-1
3-1
7-1
15-1
15-1
15-1
30-1
30-1
30-1
50-1
500-1



ODDS TO WIN BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Texas
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas Tech
Colorado
Iowa State
Texas A&M
Kansas State
Missouri
Kansas
Baylor
Oklahoma State
7-5
9-5
9-2
12-1
14-1
15-1
15-1
30-1
30-1
35-1
100-1
100-1



ODDS TO WIN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Auburn
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Tennessee
Arkansas
Alabama
Mississippi
South Carolina
Mississippi State
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
5-2
11-4
4-1
6-1
7-1
7-1
9-1
20-1
28-1
75-1
100-1
300-1

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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